Members of the school district community may object to the instructional materials utilized in the school district and ask for their use to be reconsidered.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent/director of teaching and learning, in conjunction with the principals, to develop administrative regulations for reconsideration of instructional materials. Information related to the process for reconsideration of instructional and library materials will be made available on the district’s website.
Parents or guardians of students enrolled in the district have the ability to request that their student not be able to access certain instructional material. For purposes of prohibiting access to instructional materials, Iowa law has defined instructional materials to mean either printed or electronic textbooks and related core materials that are written and published primarily for use in elementary school and secondary school instruction and are required by a state educational agency or district for use by students in the student’s classes by the teacher of record. Instructional materials does not include lesson plans.
Approved: 9/23/2019 Reviewed: 11/28/2022 Revised: 08/14/2023
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE
The policy of this school district related to selection of learning materials states that any member of the school district community may formally challenge instructional and library materials used in the district's education program. This policy allows those persons in the school and the community who are not directly involved in the selection of materials to make their own opinions known. The task of the reconsideration committee is to make an informed recommendation on the challenge. The meetings of the committee may be subject to the open meetings law.
The most critical component of the reconsideration process is the establishment and maintenance of the committee's credibility in the community. For this purpose, the committee is composed of a combination of community members and licensed employees as detailed in 605.3R1. The community should not, therefore, infer that the committee is biased or is obligated to uphold prior professional decisions.
The reconsideration process, the task of this committee, is just one part of the selection continuum. Material is purchased to meet a need. It is reviewed and examined, if possible, prior to purchase. It is periodically re-evaluated through updating, discarding, or re-examination. The committee must be ready to acknowledge that an error in selection may have been made despite this process. Librarians and school employees regularly read great numbers of reviews in the selection process, and occasional errors are possible.
In reconsidering challenged materials, the role of the committee, and particularly the chairperson, is to produce a climate for meaningful discussion of disparate views. The committee should begin by finding items of agreement, keeping in mind that the larger the group participating, the greater the amount of information available and, therefore, the greater the number of possible approaches to the problem. The committee may, at its discretion, hear an oral presentation from the complainant to the committee to expand and elaborate on the complaint.
The committee may listen to the complainant, to those with special knowledge, and any other interested persons. In these discussions, the committee should be aware of relevant social pressures which are affecting the situation. Individuals who may try to dominate or impose a decision must not be allowed to do so. Minority viewpoints expressed by groups or individuals must be heard, and observers must be made to feel welcome. It is important that the committee create a calm, nonvolatile environment in which to deal with a potentially volatile situation. To this end, the complainant will be kept informed of the progress of the complaint.
The committee will listen to the views of all interested persons before making recommendations. In deliberating its recommendation, the committee should remember that the school system must be responsive to the needs, tastes, and opinions of the community it serves. Therefore, the committee must distinguish between broad community sentiment and attempts to impose personal standards. The deliberations should concentrate on the appropriateness of the material. The question to be answered by the committee is, "Is the material appropriate for its designated audience at this time?"
The committee's final recommendation will be (1) to remove the challenged material from the total school environment, (2) to take no removal action, or (3) to agree on a limitation of the educational use of the materials.
The committee chairperson will instruct the secretary to convey the committee's recommendation to the office of the superintendent/director of teaching and learning. The recommendation should detail the rationale on which it was based. A letter will be sent to the complainant outlining the outcome.
Approved: 11/28/2022 Reviewed: 11/28/2022 Revised: 11/28/2022
Request for reconsideration of printed or multi-media material to be submitted to the superintendent
Review Initiated By: Date:_______________
Name:________________________________________Telephone:_____________________
Address:__________________________________City/State:________________Zip Code:________
School(s) in which item is used:__________________________. Relationship (parent, student, citizen, etc.):______________
Book or Other Printed Material, If Applicable:
Author:____________________________ Hardcover:_____ Paperback:_____ Other:_____
Title:________________________________________Publisher:_____________________________
Date of Publication:_____________________________
Multimedia Material, If Applicable:
Title:________________________________________ Producer:_____________________________
Type of material (video, online resource, motion picture, etc.):______________________________
Person Making the Request Represents: (circle one) Self Group or Organization
Name and Address of Group or Organization:_________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
1. What brought this item to your attention?
2. To what in the item do you object? (please be specific -- cite pages, frames, etc.)
3. In your opinion, what harmful effects upon students might result from use of this item?
4. Do you perceive any instructional value in the use of this item?
5. Did you review the entire item? If not, what sections did you review?
6. Should the opinion of any additional experts in the field be considered? Yes _____ No ____
If yes, please list specific suggestions:
7. To replace this item, do you recommend other material which you consider to be of equal or superior quality for the purpose intended?
8. Do you wish to make an oral presentation to the Review Committee?
__________Yes (a) Please contact the Superintendent
(b) Please be prepared at this time to indicate the approximate length of time your presentation will require. Although this is no guarantee that you will be allowed to present to the committee, or that you will get your requested amount of time. Minutes requested: __________
___________ No
Signature:_______________________________________ Date:____________________
Approved: 9/23/2019 Reviewed: 11/28/2022 Revised: 11/28/2022
SAMPLE LETTER TO INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGING INSTRUCTIONAL OR LIBRARY MATERIALS
Dear:
We recognize your concern about the use of______________________________________________________ in our school district. The school district has developed procedures for selection of instructional materials but realizes that not everyone will agree with every selection made.
To help you understand the selection process, we are sending copies of the school district's:
1. Instructional goals and objectives,
2. Instructional and Library Materials Selection policy statement, and
3. Procedure for reconsideration of instructional and library materials.
If you are still concerned after you review this material, please complete the Reconsideration Request Form and return it to me. You may be assured of prompt attention to your request. If I have not heard from you within one week, we will assume you no longer wish to file a formal complaint.
Sincerely,
Approved: 11/28/2022 Reviewed: 11/28/2022 revised: 11/28/2022
REQUEST TO PROHIBIT A STUDENT FROM CHECKING OUT SPECIFIC LIBRARY MATERIALS
Request to prohibit a student from checking out certain library materials to be submitted to the superintendent. Please complete one form per student.
REQUEST INITIATED BY ___________________________________________ DATE ___________
Name ____________________________________________________________________________
Address __________________________________________________________________________
City/State _________________________ Zip Code__________________ Telephone_____________
Name of affected Student _____________________________________________________________
Requester’s Relationship to Student (must be parent/legal guardian)____________________________
BOOK OR OTHER PRINTED MATERIAL TO PROHIBIT STUDENT FROM CHECKING OUT:
Author___________________________ Hardcover____ Paperback____ Other____
Title _______________________________________________________________
Publisher (if known) ______________________________ Date of Publication ________________________
MULTIMEDIA MATERIAL TO PROHIBIT STUDENT FROM CHECKING OUT:
Title _________________________________________________________
Producer (if known) _____________________________________________
Type of material (filmstrip, motion picture, etc.) _________________________
Signature _______________________________________________ Dated ______________________________
Approved: 11/28/2022 Reviewed: 11/28/2022 Revised: 11/28/2022
Code No. 605.3E5
REQUEST TO PROHIBIT A STUDENT FROM ACCESSING SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Request to prohibit a student from checking out certain instructional materials to be submitted to the superintendent.
Please complete one form per student.
REQUEST INITIATED BY ____________________________________ DATE _____________________
Name _______________________________________________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________________________________
City/State_______________________________ Zip Code __________Telephone __________________
Name of affected Student _______________________________________________________________
Requester’s Relationship to Student (must be parent/legal guardian) _____________________________
BOOK OR OTHER PRINTED MATERIAL TO PROHIBIT STUDENT FROM ACCESSING:
Author ____________________________ Hardcover _____ Paperback ___ Other ______
Title _________________________________________________________________________________
Publisher (if known) _____________________________________________________________________
Date of Publication ______________________________________________________________________
MULTIMEDIA MATERIAL TO PROHIBIT STUDENT FROM ACCESSING:
Title _________________________________________________________________________________
Producer (if known) _____________________________________________________________________
Type of material (filmstrip, motion picture, etc.) ________________________________________________
_______________________________ ____________________________________________________
Date Signature